fridginators
Sep 10th, 2012, 05:30 AM
Hey guys,
So essentially I've been re-listening to the show a bit, and I figured that I'd do a bit of a write-up, essentially compiling what factors still have to be explained, and their potential arc significance. I think this is particularly important given the fact that the story has transitioned from the deeply personal and factional to now a grander scheme of things with many different human actors. Of course, we're not even sure exactly of what we don't know, and I write this on the eve of finding out (presumably) what happens to the Chinook and Captain Long, so I'm sure this will be out of date soon, but nonetheless, I think it'd be a good thought project. Note, I'm not going to go through every unanswered question here, just the main story-driving ones:
Michael's Arm and Randy
This is one of the longest-running unknowns, and I'm shocked it's still part of the story actually. I believe this to be of a psychological importance, and I think that our general theory of Michael sacrificing Randy, whether he went willingly or not, is accurate, and I believe that this will come back to haunt Michael. Randy is a smart one, but not a pimp-ass zombie, at least so it seems, so I can't think of anything else relevant. Perhaps Michael will return to LA and see Randy, this will catch him off guard and affect his mission.
Is Ink Pinstripes?
Almost definitely. Mental illness will likely play a role in him being a pimp-ass zombie, but more than that it's hard to say. Nonetheless, KC mentioned Ink for a reason. However:
Is there more than one pimp-ass zombie?
Forgive me if this hasn't been answered, but we have no idea how Ink would have got from the Arena to the Tower so quickly, or how he would even have known about the tower, or possibly even known that it was empty. Unless he outran a car/truck/hummer that the rest of them were in, there is no chance that this could have happened - especially as Ink was there for at least 20 minutes before Michael and co. returned. We are still unsure of the nature of the weird cult of Pinstripes. It would seem strange however to have more than one, as it would rather undermine the ominous, creepy nature of TOWTM.
Why are LA zombies weird?
Probably something to do with the Ring of Fire - this would explain why Kalani's zombies were "meaner" or whatever phrased he used. These places are special, and thus the cracks. Early, in Chapter 3 or 4 where Michael, Saul and Angel read people's journals and plot the timeline, they guess the outbreak happened around Inglewood. This centres future conflicts/missions around LA; gives a reason for them to return.
How do we reconcile the Mallers with the Military/Boulder?
As they no longer pose a real threat to Michael, this appears to be the most difficult element of the story to explain: how we're alive stays a story of people, not zombies. I believe that the Mallers are never going to directly challenge Ft Irwin or Boulder, although Scratch definitely has been trying. Unless they have significant armaments or are using the other survivors as hostages I'm unsure of how this will proceed - perhaps they will confront each other off the battlefield. I subscribe to Nikvoodoo's theory about Riley killing Scratch - with the caveat that perhaps Burt will go down with her and Riley and her will simply combat, although that definitely has to happen for Riley's sake.
Will we see the Boulder crew again?
100%. Michael and Pegs need to reunite (I personally believe Pegs will herself save Michael somehow), Kelly needs to get laid, Hope needs to contribute something, anything, to the plot and Datu needs to put on his brave maintenance man face once more. Their reunion will likely come at a time of crisis.
What will happen to the Colony?
It will eventually be either liberated or destroyed. Scratch cannot remain in control forever; either she will already lose this battle (I doubt it) or she will eventually lose when Saul and co. regroup or Michael and others play back-up. There is also the possibility that the whole place gets overrun, which is a recurring motif in We're Alive. Gatekeeper will likely die, either heroically, tragically or in the process of trying to become ruler again.
Tanya and Saul's blood
We don't have any clue right now. None, except they both appear to be somewhat immune. We don't really know anything about slow-turners either, or how the slow-turner bit Tanya when they executed him/her before they completely turned.
There. I think I covered most of the remaining story strands, although of course others will pop up. There still remain questions about Boulder and the Chinook of course, but we know so little that we don't even know the right questions to ask just yet. The most important part I feel is how KC continues to take this more macro-level trajectory that the story has reached and keeps it relevant on the micro-level.
Any comments or disagreements?
Edit: My bad, forgot the most important question of all: WHERE THE HELL IS SKITTLES?
So essentially I've been re-listening to the show a bit, and I figured that I'd do a bit of a write-up, essentially compiling what factors still have to be explained, and their potential arc significance. I think this is particularly important given the fact that the story has transitioned from the deeply personal and factional to now a grander scheme of things with many different human actors. Of course, we're not even sure exactly of what we don't know, and I write this on the eve of finding out (presumably) what happens to the Chinook and Captain Long, so I'm sure this will be out of date soon, but nonetheless, I think it'd be a good thought project. Note, I'm not going to go through every unanswered question here, just the main story-driving ones:
Michael's Arm and Randy
This is one of the longest-running unknowns, and I'm shocked it's still part of the story actually. I believe this to be of a psychological importance, and I think that our general theory of Michael sacrificing Randy, whether he went willingly or not, is accurate, and I believe that this will come back to haunt Michael. Randy is a smart one, but not a pimp-ass zombie, at least so it seems, so I can't think of anything else relevant. Perhaps Michael will return to LA and see Randy, this will catch him off guard and affect his mission.
Is Ink Pinstripes?
Almost definitely. Mental illness will likely play a role in him being a pimp-ass zombie, but more than that it's hard to say. Nonetheless, KC mentioned Ink for a reason. However:
Is there more than one pimp-ass zombie?
Forgive me if this hasn't been answered, but we have no idea how Ink would have got from the Arena to the Tower so quickly, or how he would even have known about the tower, or possibly even known that it was empty. Unless he outran a car/truck/hummer that the rest of them were in, there is no chance that this could have happened - especially as Ink was there for at least 20 minutes before Michael and co. returned. We are still unsure of the nature of the weird cult of Pinstripes. It would seem strange however to have more than one, as it would rather undermine the ominous, creepy nature of TOWTM.
Why are LA zombies weird?
Probably something to do with the Ring of Fire - this would explain why Kalani's zombies were "meaner" or whatever phrased he used. These places are special, and thus the cracks. Early, in Chapter 3 or 4 where Michael, Saul and Angel read people's journals and plot the timeline, they guess the outbreak happened around Inglewood. This centres future conflicts/missions around LA; gives a reason for them to return.
How do we reconcile the Mallers with the Military/Boulder?
As they no longer pose a real threat to Michael, this appears to be the most difficult element of the story to explain: how we're alive stays a story of people, not zombies. I believe that the Mallers are never going to directly challenge Ft Irwin or Boulder, although Scratch definitely has been trying. Unless they have significant armaments or are using the other survivors as hostages I'm unsure of how this will proceed - perhaps they will confront each other off the battlefield. I subscribe to Nikvoodoo's theory about Riley killing Scratch - with the caveat that perhaps Burt will go down with her and Riley and her will simply combat, although that definitely has to happen for Riley's sake.
Will we see the Boulder crew again?
100%. Michael and Pegs need to reunite (I personally believe Pegs will herself save Michael somehow), Kelly needs to get laid, Hope needs to contribute something, anything, to the plot and Datu needs to put on his brave maintenance man face once more. Their reunion will likely come at a time of crisis.
What will happen to the Colony?
It will eventually be either liberated or destroyed. Scratch cannot remain in control forever; either she will already lose this battle (I doubt it) or she will eventually lose when Saul and co. regroup or Michael and others play back-up. There is also the possibility that the whole place gets overrun, which is a recurring motif in We're Alive. Gatekeeper will likely die, either heroically, tragically or in the process of trying to become ruler again.
Tanya and Saul's blood
We don't have any clue right now. None, except they both appear to be somewhat immune. We don't really know anything about slow-turners either, or how the slow-turner bit Tanya when they executed him/her before they completely turned.
There. I think I covered most of the remaining story strands, although of course others will pop up. There still remain questions about Boulder and the Chinook of course, but we know so little that we don't even know the right questions to ask just yet. The most important part I feel is how KC continues to take this more macro-level trajectory that the story has reached and keeps it relevant on the micro-level.
Any comments or disagreements?
Edit: My bad, forgot the most important question of all: WHERE THE HELL IS SKITTLES?